Any Color But White

How about tulip red or hyacinth grape or redbud pink? 

But, anyway, we rose above the freezing point for a while, and the sky was only partially cloudy. (I don’t think I will mention that snow is in the forecast for tonight, and then another deep plunge into below zero territory.)

The squirrels seem to have had it too. They’ve resorted to nipping the tips of the back yard red pine (I assume for the buds). (Tamia does her harvesting in the fall…assuming there is food to harvest.)

And, what’s this? Hint—the back yard is rather full of it, and it’s the end result of squirrel metabolism.

Science Fair

With some pre-fair entertainment.  

Video by Mimi

Seventy Degrees and Sunny...

...in the UK.  But not here. The sunny part, yes, but not the seventy part—more like the middle teens, with a biting breeze. Walking tricky, too, in that creepers are not necessary 98.7 percent of the way.

Watched a few minutes of the House Michael Cohen hearing. Quite something to hear Republican members working to discredit Cohen and defend Trump. What sick and twisted thinking (if you can call it that).

Cræft

By Alexander Langlands, an archeologist and one of the “re-enacters” on the BBC series “Tales From The Green Valley” (farming in 1620) and “Victorian Farm” (farming in 1850). Picked the book up in St. Paul, when visiting Niki, a few days before we stumbled across the tv series. (How odd is that?)

One essential tool from the medieval period, right up the the present, is the billhook, and I can’t imagine living without one (though I have for quite some time). Brush clearing, the making of hedges and wattle hurdles, kindling and faggots, the manufacture (manu means by hand) of strong and lightweight woven wood baskets—and, the like.

The last line in the book reads as follows: “To be cræfty is all about resourceful living and about going back to the basics: a mindful life achieved through beautiful simplicity.”

AND, speaking of cræfty: Abby is the first person in my acquaintance to be written up in Forbes.

Back From Ulima Thule

With four-wheel drive in low gear, and a good head of steam, we made it out the long, long driveway! Road from Flambeau to south of Stevens Point not good. But, at least, we were not part of Sunday’s 141 car pileup.

Stop for gas in Merrill. Snow there, too.

Saturday the Nies family came over to the Janowiec place for a visit. The two north woods cottages are just a bit more than an hour apart.

Becca is well versed in cottage living.

Photo by Katy

Photo (and caption) by Katy.

By Katy

By Katy

Weathering The Storm

Blizzard in effect all day. Deep, deep snow. But Bruce and Sharon got out (the very long drive).  

Wind still roaring in the pines and temp dropping below zero. We are snug with coals glowing in the grate.  

Cabin Resussitation

Coming back from having been frozen solid and buried in snow. Enough snow off the roof to stanch the leaks and enough snow off the chimney to permit a fire in the fireplace.  

And, thanks to Bruce all the burst pipes repaired.  

North Woods Idyll

Helping the Janowiec family move into and thaw out their new, fabulous, 100 year-old log cottage in Lac du Flambeau. Snow in some places almost waist deep. Melting snow to flush toilet.  

What Do Icicles Indicate?

In the first place, previous weather of the snowy kind. And then, current weather of the indeterminate kind—neither here nor there, neither this nor that—but in between—with the temperature just below the freezing point of water but close enough to it that the sun can exert its influence.

I have to say that everyone around here is pretty much done with icicles, and all their antecedent causes, as well as the factors contributing to their generation.

Amongst The Democrats

Communications Committee. 

I did a demo on SLACK, the team collaboration software.

It is interesting how, when you drop yourself into a new group, they mostly seem like oddballs, but when you get to know the people a little they turn out to be quite likable.

Time for Gunwales

Still cold, and walking still difficult, so good time for boat work. 

The gunwales, or rub strakes, or rub-rails, consisting of three-quarter by one-and-a-half oak, were dry fit. It’s a hard and difficult two-directional bend, but doable, without steaming. Glueing them in will be a two-person job, however.

Then, time for a little decoration. The boat will be painted white, with varnished trim.

Winter Scenes

Sunny, but not warm enough to melt. 

Silent Snow, Secret Snow

Piling up and piling up.  Never heavy, but never stopping.

Boatwise, all the heavy sanding is done(!), so now on to the fun parts—trim, reinforcements, rub-strake, seats, breasthooks, decoration. At this point I am certain that the boat will float and not leak. What I don’t know is if it will float level and row straight.

Carnivore

Tour of a few of the new luxurious apartments in Tony’s redeveloping Grand Avenue Mall.

This is one of the common rooms.

Then Abby and Tony, and Katy and Will took us out to dinner at Carnivore, perhaps the best restaurant in Milwaukee. That was delicious.

Big news coming out of KWiL Publishing, too. Looks like a bestseller is in the making. Front page article in the Journal-Sentinel today. Article is HERE.

February 15

Forty degree drop over just a few hours last night. So, what was yesterday’s runoff is today’s ice floe. Creepers again required.

Slow and methodical on little boat production. This is the tedious time—endless sanding, and then 12 to 24 hour waits between applications, for epoxy to set up. Theoretically, once the boat is finished and painted, there should be no sign of the fiberglass tape at the edges and corners.

Valentine #43

That’s a lot of Valentines, but overall worth the postage.  To celebrate we went out to lunch at Natalie’s Parkview cafe in Milton—deluxe bbq sandwich and deluxe tuna melt. And, this evening, looking forward to watching a bit of the news, then our current series on faming in the 17th century, and then an hour or two of reading. Hard to beat that for romantic, IMHO.

Walking today was a remembered pleasure. Some sun, little wind, temperatures above freezing, and NO creepers. Tripping the light fantastic.

Chicken Soup For The...

...neighbors.  The neighbors across the street are home after months at the hospital. And what, for anyone, is better than chicken soup on a winter’s day?

Bright sun, however, and slowly rising temperatures…almost reaching the melting point of water, so survival appears likely.

Going Nowhere

Since we didn’t need to go out, we stayed in—except for shoveling and several heavy trudges through a winter wonderland. Most schools closed. Snow all day.

The dinghy has been rolled over, and now the exterior is getting the treatment.

New Piece of Fitness Equipment...

 ...the snow shovel. A little snow last night, and a forecast of more to come. Many places still not down through the ice to bare pavement.

Report out from ACE predicting record high water in Lakes Superior and Lake Erie. Michigan/Huron could be pretty high, too.

Photo by Joe (this weekend)

And conditions are worse on Manitoulin. Operation “Deer Save” is in effect—deep, hard-crusted snow.

What a Weekend

Reading, waffles, ice, and ice boating.  

Thanks to Sue and Renee for photos.